Force Redux

I appreciate the suggestions and builds folks...I see some ways to tweak the build thank you :)

Thanks Hedgefund, will take your advice in my build! I definitely am learning to love /Cold over FF for MM... But I'm definitely going to want Clarion.

Personally I'd slot both. There's room because you have Soul Extraction as a slot mule for the pet IOs. The -Res is even better when teaming.

This post has been super helpful for me to make sure I was getting the most mileage out of my pets, thank you.

yeah, i'm done with reddit as well not to mention all of the pm's I get here for builds already on the forums. can't wait until the ADD morons start 'naming' their builds in order to gain youtube fame or some shit. You both have my appreciation for the builds and feedback you post.

I'm pretty tanky with FF, so I don't need it solo. If I really need a time out,I have PFF. And in most groups, sleeps don't really shine. But I can see SS's value with other primaries...!

Well, got this up to 39 so far, took Mace Mastery as well, and the build has had a couple tweaks, involving removing Siren Song and substituting Shockwave in for double cone action. Debuffs and knockdowns helps both teams and me (when solo). Can definitely feel the difference in time to kill vs other Defender secondaries I've used in the past. AV kills go much quicker. Added in some IO sets and procs, and with Scorpion Shield, I'm near close to cap on S/L/E and Range. Will be overcapped when done, plus capped AoE. Definitely a safe yet effective build. Sonic definitely helps FF shine, of course. But I still like what FF brings to the table. Between the buffs (FF) and Debuffs (Sonic) and some KD CC I feel useful in almost all situations and love the character. I can post a build if anyone is interested.

Checking in. Shockwave + Howl combo working very well with +KB proc. Eventually will fit in +Recharge proc. I'm getting better at lining up those cones. At level 39, things are feeling into place nicely. Scorpions web grenade helps keep them where they belong too. Considering I was found to skip shockwave, I appreciate the advice. Next power is Screech.

Yes your bots (and possibly nearby party members) will fly. They will go sightly slower than you, so it's not worth it for long distances unless you auto follow a minion and give them GoTo commands, but it's very nice on maps during combat where you need to keep the bots in a group near you.

I removed Siren Song (which was, admittedly, rather situational) and took Shockwave and slotted it in tandem with Howl for dual cone action. Shockwave had the Overwhelming FOrce KD proc, since I had it. Howl got Annhilation with the -Res proc, too. Very satisfying. Extra protection, plus the cones line up nicely. I appreciate the suggestions. Next, at level 35, I'll grab Screech and slot it with Stupify (although to get the Ranged DEF, i need to also slot the KB proc IO...). Suggested alternate slotting?

This sounds awesome.

I'm going to get to work in Pine's! Ty :)

Thanks folks! I do tend to team more than I solo, and I've never found myself wishing especially for a sleep ability (confuse, yes, however), so I think I will go with Screech. Shock wave sounds interesting. Not sure how I'll side that in, I'll take it to Justin and play around with it, and if I like it, see what I can do. I'm paired with Force Field as my primary btw.

Any experienced Sonic Attack users who wish to weigh in on either the use of Siren Song or Screech as crowd control? I can do either one or the other in my build, but I'm weighing the options: 1. Siren Song is a sleep, so it likely has more benefit with solo than group, but there are still adds that could be mezzed for a bit, yes? Is this practical? I've enver really used sleeps much in the past due to too much Bots/FF tooning around. 1. The Disorient on Screech is useful both solo or groups (ie, Malta Sappers, etc) and the sets like Razzle Dazzle or Stupify offer better DEF set bonuses than for SLeep, but its Single Target. However, it can't be broken. But until I get my aoe immobilize from Electric PP, they are likely to wander about drunkenly. Any thoughts or opinions? Either for group/solo utility, or set bonuses (esp for DEF ranged capping). Thanks!

And this suits my villainous nature perfectly :)

Chiming in a bit late here, but after a period of long thought, here are my (modest) thoughts. Many reflect what's already been said, but I love FF, so I want to say my peace too: 1. Personal Force Field. Perfect as is. 2. Deflection Shield. Perfect as is. 3. Force Bolt. Give it Tier 1 blast damage power. This would make it handy for Controllers who may need a good damaging power to use with Containment, and for others (such as Defenders or Corruptors) it is valuable for the fast KD/KB that it provides without giving up some basic rotational damage. 4. Insulation Shield. Perfect as is. 5. Detention Field. Leave it. Make this a single target Hold. 6. Dispersion Bubble. Perfect as is. 7. Repulsion Field. This overlaps with Force Bubble, although they operate in different ways. It has, however, been a power subject to much discussion and often little use on teams (I almost never see it used, and I've been in since the old Beta through sunset). This is the one area I'd suggest ignoring the 'cottage rule' and ask for the power to match Dispersion Bubble's radius, and turn it into a toggle with similar END costs that does two things: a. Periodic Absorption buffer to everyone within. Prevent some of the leak-through or auto-hit damage and help bolster up the Defense. b. Applies some modest DDR to everyone within. Since FF's main strength to assist team mates is to give +DEF, a 20% defense debuff resistance wouldn't be out of place. 8. Repulsion Bomb. Fairly good. Perhaps tighten up the activation time to just under 2 seconds, and bump up the damage about 10%. 9. Force Bubble. For a Tier 9 this is both 1) very situational and 2) rather lackluster. Part of it is the endurance cost. I'd suggest: a. The END cost should be reduced. Perhaps a 10 to 50% reduction in cost for the toggle (depending on the perceived value of the items below). b. Reduce the size of the thing. Right now its very easy to aggro right through walls and it is often unwieldy. c. Apply a -Movement/Slow to anything that is in the field. This will also allow for some IO sets/procs that would make this power a bit more interesting, as well as compensate for the smaller area, for at least things within it would move more slowly and predictably. If FF is about area denial, then let's let the capstone power provide some more. That's it. I hope HC's devs will keep some of these in mind. Thanks!

So, I am back to leveling a bubbler, a power set I still love, even after playing with a /Cold MM and a Ninjutsu Sentinel, I went back because I still enjoy not always minding my pets, as well as being able to bring some helpful stuff to the team, while also having some ability to solo through my missions. I would love a review, make sure I'm on track with my plan. Currently I'm level 25 as a Force Field/Sonic. My build is outlined below. The goals are: 1. Build up +Defense (particularly range) to soft cap, and then push as close to iCap as possible (so far getting about 54% range defense on the build below). 2. Balance personal damage with ability to cycle attacks and maintain the blue bar. 3. Maintain some team friendly tricks - like recall friend for teams/lowbie help, and aid other. I'd love to fit Stealth in there, but alas...however, i can flub a run through a map with minimal aggro in PFF. I could always swap a +Stealth enhancer into Hover to reduce aggro going through a map to later TP friend to the goals, but I also think that -recharge defense would be helpful. Perks of the build that make me happy: 1. PFF - can always bubble up and heal or endure what could be a wipe or just some focused fire until things get under control. On teams without a proper tank, I can always Leeroy Jenkins into a crowed to take the alpha. 2. Status protection - don't want to wait until Clarion, and I'd like to use my Destiny for something else. Its also nice to give this to others, particularly pets and so forth. my Lore pets will benefit from this. 3. Energy Drain and Toxic resistance. Nice to bring to the table. I hate Malta. 4. Normally bubblers don't have anything to hasten mob death, but plenty of -RES from Sonic, which is a very strong ST set. So I feel I've got a decent balance for Buffs/Debuffs, even if its fairly narrow. 5. FF adds a bit more AoE damage with repulsion bomb, helping out with Sonic's ST focus. 6. Electricity offers resists, some slots for more +DEF global, and a decent damage AOE immob for control and more AOE damage. I think the build is pretty good, but I am always surprised by the input I get to improve builds, and would love a good lookover. Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! White Noise: Level 50 Science Defender Primary Power Set: Force Field Secondary Power Set: Sonic Attack Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Medicine Power Pool: Leadership Power Pool: Teleportation Ancillary Pool: Electricity Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Deflection Shield (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (3) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (3) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance Level 1: Shriek (A) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage (5) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/RechargeTime (5) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (7) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (7) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (9) Superior Vigilant Assault - RechargeTime/PBAoE +Absorb Level 2: Scream (A) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage (9) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Recharge (11) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Endurance/Recharge (11) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (13) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (13) Superior Defender's Bastion - Recharge/Chance for Minor PBAoE Heal Level 4: Hover (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points) (36) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (48) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%) Level 6: Insulation Shield (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (15) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance Level 8: Aid Other (A) Miracle - Heal/Endurance (50) Miracle - Heal/Endurance/Recharge Level 10: Howl (A) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage (17) Annihilation - Damage/RechargeTime (19) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (19) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (21) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (21) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff Level 12: Dispersion Bubble (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge (23) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge (25) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge (25) Red Fortune - Defense (27) Red Fortune - Endurance Level 14: Aid Self (A) Miracle - Heal/Endurance (15) Miracle - Heal/Endurance/Recharge Level 16: Shout (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage (37) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge (40) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance (43) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge (46) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (48) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance Level 18: Fly (A) Endurance Reduction IO Level 20: Personal Force Field (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed Level 22: Maneuvers (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (36) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense Level 24: Amplify (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff (27) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up Level 26: Repulsion Bomb (A) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage (36) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff (37) Annihilation - Damage/RechargeTime (48) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (50) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (50) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime Level 28: Tactics (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance (29) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff (29) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge Level 30: Recall Friend (A) Empty Level 32: Siren's Song (A) Induced Coma - Accuracy/Recharge (33) Induced Coma - Endurance/Sleep (33) Induced Coma - Accuracy/Endurance (33) Induced Coma - Sleep/Range (34) Induced Coma - Accuracy/Sleep/Recharge (34) Induced Coma - Chance of -Recharge Level 35: Field Medic (A) Empty Level 38: Electric Fence (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge (42) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (43) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (43) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 41: Charged Armor (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% (42) Gladiator's Armor - Recharge/Endurance (42) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) Level 44: Dreadful Wail (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage (45) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance (45) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge (45) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge (46) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (46) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal) Level 47: Afterburner (A) Endurance Reduction IO Level 49: Force Bubble (A) Endurance Reduction IO Level 1: Brawl (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Dash (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Slide (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Quick (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Rush (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Surge (A) Empty Level 1: Sprint (A) Empty Level 1: Vigilance Level 2: Rest (A) Empty Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift (A) Empty Level 2: Health (A) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery (40) Miracle - +Recovery Level 2: Hurdle (A) Empty Level 2: Stamina (A) Endurance Modification IO (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod (40) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End Level 50: Support Radial Embodiment Level 50: Cardiac Radial Paragon Level 50: Ion Core Final Judgement Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface Level 50: Rebirth Core Epiphany ------------ | Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1524;709;1418;HEX;| |78DA65944B4F13511886CF94A9B5945EA0DC0A54AEA550B4B4806B6F80C60021627| |4D934D3533A3A76483B2AE8CA7F60DCB8302012AF1B1778BFEDFC11468D1ABCADBC| |FC83FA75BE574A32276D9E99F79CEF9B77DED3D3D9E5C9868747AF1C104AE088912| |D973393322F8B3959F22C68BA2C6A52D0F09D2EE896EC9933F5B2F4D07DE4FFA2CC| |E1F3F97C72DA2C693233AD4B23D7B53D73225B5C94B9E48259D4B5CC21CBCA6A678| |56FDE348DE4B4A12F162CBF7D3D2B73BAA61765D0BE9B91592A2D17F4A526FBFEA4| |34E49259B2B2966E16DBA796742D396548CD2A518DB59299CD962D595A69274723F| |4CDBB0446C5255A1421D2AA70358321E6FBDA1AB748A9B6A6A6C131E6AE717082B9| |7B3FF303D52AA85536EB78EE11B3FE31F884D9F0147CC6F4526C750A7BABFBE8B2B| |57E781CEDE4350592DDF0EFC65C00FE43F01FA53E1E5EA378A6488BAB227D8C596D| |EB853FEF16F70C7D65367D03BF339B7F803F9967A8D6C7FEDCBE7A7E56AB0F6C60B| |6FBC100B323C8EC26437E78F2C353009E3E51DF203C055785BD7E6083195F63266E| |32F7AD33476F317DD4B7916B45632F6B92FA85A185915123AD6B41B62DD0FA91D70| |0F2FB4C756DF0D1769BF3EFB8C3DC7317BC07DE67F63E601A84086A23C8B51FB90D| |20DF51E49B46BE69E41B266F9DD8D3CE0DEED7B506AE3363B4268A778A5668882F3| |4D18D27763FA73788AAA2E705F8127CC5EC7D0DBE615E8D09D1876E7D76B71B6425| |866E31ECC120B21F44F6C3C83E81EC13D8A355AA1D42B6436DFC84E1717EB7E131E| |6968BCF5FB5FFC805AEDB7B115C0657B0C797C0CB4CD12A44126E93D8E373D42F05| |2D05AD4BDD3EB7F4A9BE55C2A1A41C4ADAA18C3B94098732E350E6AA0AA7509957B| |7FF058462CF7A4374B659A9FCAAA75965E7EC9F9AA228A7F8D7183FCEA7E3B763F5| |DF9AE2527AB047D7F87712BFCE7C4BDB9B869B83E1DA75A4B976FD6E876E8FCD1DC| |23FAEB608ED| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Hi! No, never on Discord these days, but you can shoot me an email if you want to chat. I'll PM you. Good to help in any way I can. Bots FF has been my favorite combo for years.

Personally, I used to do it for the 6-slot bonus, not the proc, but it's entirely skippable.

I will always advocate for /Dark because it's has a versatile tool kit, and is very survivable, and offers great debuffs. It pairs well with virtually any primary. What primary were you thinking of?

I teamed with you Rotgut on Everlasting! Was a fun group, enjoyed your debuffs and green whirlpools!

Anything with an immobilize. The more you can keep them together the better your damage. That and an IO to convert knock back to knock down in Assault Bot. Huge QoL improvement. Outside of demons or beasts yeah, the personal attacks are lacking. I slotted the hell out of Force Bolt with procs and that was satisfactory.

If you have room for Hasten, even with only it's base slot, take it. There are plenty of mobs that can debuff recharge. Hasten offers a counter. That said, I don't always take it myself.

It's a mixed lot. Psychic offers a group buff, Link Minds, for example. Fire has things like Fire Sword And Warmth (a small group heal). Dark has Darkest Night, a toggle debuff. No one APP really stands head and shoulder above the others, but they each lend themselves well to rounding out your power selection. What I remember of a previous discussion was not conclusive, if that tells you anything. No must-have powers come to mind

there is a discussion about them another post sometime in the last week. It seems the general consensus is that whatever patron power pool you take, it can either had some control some d buffing some healing or some damage. I'm not able to delve into pines character creator right now, but the choices all seem to help point your character in one of the three basic directions. You have a chance to download pines, go ahead you can review them make up your mind that what looks best for you. I personally chose soul, because of the better version of darkest night and the tentacles cone for immobilization.